Knowledge Management and Organisational Innovation in Selected Private Universities in Anambra State

Knowledge management has emerged as a strategic priority for private universities seeking to sustain innovation, improve institutional performance, and maintain competitive relevance in an increasingly crowded Nigerian higher education market. This study examines the relationship between knowledge management practices and organisational innovation in selected private universities in Anambra State. The study is anchored on the Knowledge-Based View (KBV) of the firm, which positions knowledge as the most strategically significant organisational resource capable of generating sustained competitive advantage through innovation. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted. The study population comprised 318 academic staff and administrative officers across four selected private universities in Anambra State. A sample of 177 respondents was drawn using stratified random sampling, with proportionate allocation across institutions. A validated questionnaire was used for primary data collection, and data were analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM) and multiple regression. Findings reveal that knowledge sharing culture, communities of practice, and digital knowledge repositories are the knowledge management dimensions most significantly associated with organisational innovation. The results further show that tacit knowledge transfer through mentoring and collaborative research significantly outperforms formal documentation systems as a driver of innovation outcomes. It is concluded that private universities that embed knowledge management into their academic governance frameworks achieve superior rates of curricular innovation and research output. The study recommends that university management establish dedicated knowledge management units and incentivise inter-departmental research collaboration through internal grant schemes.

Keywords: Knowledge management, organisational innovation, private universities, Knowledge-Based View, Anambra